Penelope Hegseth immediately apologized to her son, Pete Hegseth, who is President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for secretary of defense, after sending an email accusing him of abusing women, she told The New York Times.
In 2018, Penelope Hegseth wrote in an email to her son: "On behalf of all the women (and I know it's many) you have abused in some way, I say ... get some help and take an honest look at yourself."
Penelope Hegseth told the Times that she had written the email "in anger, with emotion" while her son and his wife were going through a divorce.
She defended her son in the interview, disavowing the sentiments of her original email about his character and treatment of women.
"It is not true. It has never been true. I know my son. He is a good father, husband," she said, adding that it was "disgusting" to publish the contents of the first email.
Jeremy Frankel ✉
Jeremy Frankel is a Newsmax writer reporting on news and politics.